Bullpen Report: August 31, 2019

Entering game play on the final day of August, many bullpens will enter September fatigued. With rosters expanding on Sunday, reinforcements will arrive but some teams, it may be too little too late. As for last night, a 15 inning game between the Red Sox and Angels ended in Andrew Cashner’s 11th win. He worked four scoreless innings issuing two walks and striking out three. Brandon Workman entered his save chance last night with a 1.35 ERA his previous 13 appearances and an impressive 21 strikeouts against three walks. After stranding two inherited runners in the eighth inning, Workman returned for the ninth looking for his 10th save. However, Workman walked Brian Goodwin and Mike Trout before getting a fielder’s choice ground out. This left runners on the corners with one out. A single to left field, mishandled badly by J.D. Martinez allowed both runners to score. As of this writing, they both count as earned runs resulting in Workman’s sixth blown save. After the tying run scored, Workman intentionally walked Kole Calhoun before striking out David Fletcher. Then another intentional pass to Andrelton Simmons preceding an inning ending ground out by Matt Thaiss.

All told, Workman gets tagged with two hits, two earned runs and four walks with one strikeout in his 1.1 innings of work. Less than optimal but he’s tied for fourth in the majors with 50 scoreless outings this season. Marcus Walden gets his seventh hold tossing 1.1 scoreless innings giving up a hit. Matt Barnes coughed up a solo home run to Goodwin but records his 21st hold. Darwinson Hernandez fired two scoreless innings navigating around three hits while striking out five. As for the Angels, Hansel Robles and Ty Buttrey each logged two clean innings with three strikeouts. Keynan Middleton pitched a scoreless inning walking one and striking out one. Trevor Cahill absorbs his ninth loss serving up a solo home run to Mookie Betts in the top of the 15th inning.

Washington and Miami traded blown saves on Friday night ending in a walk-off single by Anthony Rendon. Daniel Hudson suffered his fourth blown save allowing a lead-off infield single to Harold Ramirez then a two-run home run to Starlin Castro in the top of the ninth. Hudson settled down to retire the next three in order and garnered his eighth win thanks to Rendon’s efforts. Fernando Rodney notched his 11th hold with a clean ninth inning and two strikeouts. Roenis Elias incurred his third blown save walking in the tying run in the seventh inning but did not get an earned run to his ledger in two-thirds of an inning. Hunter Strickland loaded the bases giving up three hits and a walk leading to two earned runs giving way to Elias in the seventh. Good news for the Nationals bullpen with word of Sean Doolittle firing a clean inning in his rehab stint in Potomac. Plus:

Sean Doolittle was back at Nationals Park by night's end after throwing a rehab inning for Potomac in Frederick. He said it was a step forward and his mechanics felt better than in the simulated inning he threw this past Wednesday. A good sign.

— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) August 31, 2019

As of this writing, Doolittle’s not been activated but he could be by Sunday at the latest with coinciding with rosters expanding. He will assume closer duties per his manager’s quotes. Act accordingly. For the Marlins, things seem even more muddled despite Ryne Stanek receiving the bulk of the save opportunities of late. Stanek yielded a lead-off single to Howie Kendrick with a one run lead, then walked Trea Turner. A failed bunt attempt by Gerardo Parra proved to be the only out recorded by Stanek. During Rendon’s at-bat, a passed ball by Jorge Alfaro put the runners on second and third. Not sure why Miami did not walk Rendon, but he singled to left field scoring both runners handing Stanek his fourth blown save in five chances as a Marlin. In fact, Stanek owns an ERA of eight with a 2.33 WHIP and matching 10 walks with 10 strikeouts in 9.2 innings in August. Woof.

No cause for controversy, yet at least, in Texas. But, Emmanuel Clase recorded his first save in the majors giving up a hit and striking out one against Seattle. Jose LeClerc worked in the previous two games for the Rangers, so he was probably unavailable. Clase displayed terrific command in the minors and could grow into a prominent high leverage role with the Rangers going forward. With every player on the team fighting for their role in 2020, keep tabs on how Clase finishes the season in comparison to LeClerc.

Not a save for Archie Bradley but he secures a win for Arizona and his fourth of the season working 1.2 scoreless frames allowing a hit and striking out three. Since July 30th, Bradley owns each of the Diamondbacks nine saves and he’s been scoreless in 20 of his last 23 outings with a 1.38 ERA over 26 innings. His three strikeouts puts Bradley within three of his career best of 79 set in 2017.

One out saves prove invaluable in the fantasy community. Mark Melancon struck out Tim Anderson with a runner on third and two outs in the top of the ninth versus the White Sox. Melancon’s converted all six save chances since joining Atlanta and over his last seven appearances has recorded nine strikeouts without issuing a walk. Shane Greene fired a clean inning and has been unscored upon his last nine outings with 10 strikeouts in them. Atlanta’s much maligned bullpen aligns with the team’s recent surge posting a combined 2.39 ERA while not giving up a lead in this stretch notching five saves and nine hold with 44 strikeouts against 11 walks in 105.1 innings spanning 12 contests.

Quick Hits: Justin Wilson vultures a win, his fourth giving up a hit and striking out one in Philadelphia. The Phillies bullpen implodes allowing 10 earned runs after Aaron Nola fired 6.1 innings yielding one earned run…Will Harris coughed up a home run to Cavan Biggio during Houston’s win over Toronto providing Roberto Osuna a night off in a non-save appearance…Oliver Drake records his third win working 1.2 scoreless innings yielding a hit and striking out one…Trevor May continues to surge recording three more strikeouts in a clean outing last night. In August, May’s pitched 12.1 innings with a 17:3 K:BB, 0.73 ERA and 0.57 WHIP…Yimi Garcia balked in the go ahead run in Arizona resulting in his fourth loss this year while racking up four strikeouts in 1.1 innings…